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Here are the topics covered for 10 January 2024:
GS-2: Mulya Pravah 2.0
GS-3: Global Economic Prospect, Sanitary Napkins More Sustainable , Respirer Living Sciences and Climate Trends
Facts For Prelims: Chandubi Festival , International Big Cat Alliance (IBC)
Mulya Pravah 2.0
Context
- Alarmed by widespread unethical practices like favoritism, sexual harassment, and gender discrimination, the UGC launched the new Mulya Pravah 2.0 guideline.
Mulya Pravah 2.0
- The guidelines seek to address the prevalence of unethical practices in various organizations, including favoritism, sexual harassment, and gender discrimination.
- It aims to build a culture of integrity, accountability, and transparency within higher education institutions.
- Inculcate human values and professional ethics among students, faculty, and staff.
- Foster a culture of honesty, integrity, and trust.
- Encourage critical thinking and open communication.
- Promote transparency in decision-making and accountability for actions.
- Recognize and reward ethical behaviour.
Global Economic Prospect
Context
- World Bank retains India\’s growth forecasts for FY24 and FY25 in its Global Economic Prospect.
Highlights of the Report
- World Bank predicts India\’s post-pandemic boom to ease from 9.1% to 6.3% in FY24, still leading major economies.
- Weaker private investment and consumption explain the slowdown, despite strong public spending and services.
- Global growth faces a third straight year of decline, posing challenges for poverty reduction and debt in developing countries.
India’s Context
- Exports dip: Global demand softens, impacting Indian merchandise exports.
- Inflation in check: Inflation stays within the target range, allowing stable interest rates.
- Investment steady: Robust public spending and stronger bank balance sheets offset a slight dip in private investment.
- Consumption cools: Pent-up demand subsides, and high food prices squeeze spending, especially for low-income households.
- Government cautious: Slower government spending reflects efforts to trim current expenses.
- Revenue boost: Strong corporate profits buoy government revenues.
- Debt watch: High debt levels mean larger interest payments for India.
Sanitary Napkin More Sustainable
Context
- Stanford study: Sisal leaf material has a higher absorption capacity than commercial menstrual pads.
About Sisal Leaves
- Thanks to its water-storing leaves, Sisal\’s remarkable ability to thrive in dry regions makes it a valuable crop in drought-prone areas.
- Each sisal leaf boasts around a thousand fibers.
- It is harvested over a lifespan of 7-10 years.
- It provides renewable resources for various products like ropes, paper, and cloth.
- The plant grows best in warm moist climates on soils with good drainage.
- It is mainly found in Orissa, Maharashtra, and Southern States.
Need of Sisal Leaves in Sanitary Pads
- While government initiatives in India aim to make sanitary napkins readily available at lower prices, their widespread use raises environmental concerns.
- Gynecologists warn that menstrual waste generated by disposable pads contributes significantly to non-biodegradable waste, posing a serious environmental threat.
- Based on a 2022 United Nations Population Fund report, Patna alone discards roughly 9.8 billion sanitary napkins annually.
- A 2022 study estimated Chennai generates a staggering 27 million discarded sanitary napkins every month.
Health Concern
- These single-use products also pose potential health risks.
- They often contain dioxin, a persistent environmental pollutant and known human carcinogen classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
- This raises concerns about potential cancer risks for users.
Respirer Living Sciences and Climate Trends
Context
- In a recently released report by Respirer Living Sciences and Climate Trends, Karnataka dominates with the cleanest air in India.
Highlights of the Report
- A report analyzing government PM2.5 data from Oct 2022 to Sept 2023, focusing on cities in the National Clean Air Programme aiming for a 40% particulate matter reduction by 2026.
- The analysis reported Aizawl and Mizoram have the cleanest air in the country with a PM2.5 level of only 11.1 micrograms per cubic metre.
- Delhi reigns as India\’s most polluted city along with four NCR cities – Faridabad, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Meerut – join it in the top 10.
- Meanwhile, Patna saw a worrying 24% air quality decline, securing second place, followed by Muzaffarpur and other Indo-Gangetic Plains cities.
About Climate Trends
- ClimateTrends and Respirer Living Sciences introduce the NCAP Tracker – an online hub for the latest updates in India’s clean air policy.
- It is designed to track India’s progress in achieving the 2024 clean air targets under the National Clean Air Programme.
- NCAP Tracker enables this by compiling and evaluating various levels of air quality data and closely tracking the effectiveness of the clean air policy.
- The tracker compiles and analyses information on air quality and budget allocation that is publicly available or provided by the government of India.
Facts For Prelims
Chandubi Festival
- It is an annual cultural extravaganza celebrated in Chandubi Lake in Assam’s Kamrup district.
- It represents indigenous tribes and communities that are contributing unique rituals, arts, crafts, and cultural practices.
- It includes traditional dances like Bihu, Sattriya, and other folk cultures of Assam.
- Sporting events and traditional games are organized, adding an element of excitement and engagement among the attendees.
- Workshops on traditional art forms, handloom weaving, pottery-making, and other cultural activities are often conducted, providing visitors with an opportunity to learn and engage.
International Big Cat Alliance (IBC)
- It is launched for the conservation of seven big cats namely Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.
- It has 97 member countries that are home to these big cats.
- It engages advocacy, partnerships, capacity building, eco-tourism, and finance tapping.
- It also disseminates information and creates awareness among its members.